Toasty Seeded Bread Sticks

A variation on the baguette

Mix the baguette dough using the instructions in the recipe. Divide the
dough in half and use the other half for baguettes. Dust your work surface
with flour and place the kneaded dough on the floured surface. Cover the
dough with oiled plastic wrap and allow it to rise at room temperature (75
to 77 degrees F) for 1 hour. The dough will be soft but will not have
doubled.

Combine the sesame and poppy seeds in a small bowl. Pat the dough into an
even 4 by 6 inch rectangle. Using a plant sprayer, generously mist the
dough. Coat both sides of the dough completely with the seed mixture; make
sure there are no bare spots. Gently brush the dough on both sides with
olive oil and sprinkle it with kosher salt.

Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper and oil the paper lightly. Stretch
the rectangle so that it is a little longer. Using a dough cutter, cut the
dough width-wise into twelve strips, almost 1 inch wide. Lift each stick,
stretch it slightly so it’s 8 inches long and lay it on the baking sheet.
Place the sticks on the baking sheet with about 1 inch between them. Let
rise for 30 minutes, until they become slightly puffy but not quite fully
doubled.

Thirty minutes before baking, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place a baking
stone in the oven to preheat and place an empty water pan directly below
the stone. Place the pan of bread on the baking stone. Quickly pour 1 cup
of very hot water into the water pan and immediately shut the oven door.
After about 1 minute, mist the sticks with water 6 to 8 times, then quickly
shut the oven door. Mist again after 1 more minute.

Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and
bake 8 to 12 minutes longer, until the sticks look golden brown and are
getting crisp on the outside. Brush the hot bread sticks with a little
olive oil if desired, then transfer them to a rack to cool for a few
minutes before serving.